According to some publications, the marquee freshman forward is
supposed to lift the Crimson to their first NCAA Tournament berth
since 2006; he is the headliner in the top recruiting class in ECAC
Hockey; and he will single-handedly fill the void left by Harvard's
All-America selection Alex Killorn.

Vesey knew none of the talk mattered until he produced on the
ice. The first impression Vesey left Saturday against Bentley will
do nothing to dispel the hype.

Vesey tallied two goals and an assist in Harvard's 5-0 victory
over Bentley Saturday in his collegiate debut. He played on the
team's power play, sparking a unit that was tops in the nation last
season.

“The game (at Bright Hockey Center) was sold out, so I'm
not used to playing in front of that many people,” Vesey
says. “The guys were older and stronger, so I had less time
to make decisions. There was added pressure and nervousness, but
I'm happy we came out on top.”

Lighting the lamp is nothing new for Vesey, who played for the
South Shore Kings in the EJHL last season. He was named MVP and
Offensive Player of the Year, setting EJHL single-season records
for points and goals.

The fact that he committed to Harvard was a huge coup for Ted
Donato (Dedham, Mass.). The Crimson are looking to carry the
momentum from last season when they reached the ECAC Hockey
championship game.

“For me, it was a chance to get a top-notch
education,” says Vesey, who spent two years at Belmont Hill
before playing for the Kings. “Also, I'm a local kid, so
playing in the Beanpot is a big deal for me. It was an opportunity
to play for a great coaching staff.”

Donato appears to have the program on solid footing despite the
graduation of Killorn. Vesey, who was selected in the third round
of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators, came in the same
class as forward Brian Hart, a second-round pick of the 2012 Draft
by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Vesey was named ECAC Hockey Rookie of the Week Tuesday after
playing one game of collegiate hockey.

“Overall, I think the entire freshman class knows we have
to produce because of the loss of Alex Killorn and some seniors
from last year,” Vesey says. “I always put pressure on
myself, but that start will take a little off me.”

Player of the Week

Kyle Bodie, Union

The senior forward matched a single-game career best with four
points (two goals, two assists) in an 8-0 win at AIC Friday
night.

He scored his second shorthanded goal of the season late in the
first period, and added a power-play goal in the second period.
Bodie had the primary assist on Wayne Simpson's power-play goal at
4:36 of the second period in a 2-2 tie against Connecticut
Saturday.

Game of the Week

Cornell at Colgate, Nov. 2 (Starr Rink)

The ECAC Hockey league season will begin Friday when Cornell
visits Colgate in a battle of upstate New York rivals. The rivalry
dates back to 1920-1921. Last season, the Raiders swept Cornell
during the regular season before falling to Cornell 3-0 in the ECAC
Hockey Third Place Game. The teams will meet Saturday night at
Cornell.

Power Rankings

1. Cornell (2-0-0): Junior
goaltender Andy Iles was ECAC Hockey Goaltender of the Week after
earning two wins over nationally-ranked Colorado College last
weekend.

2. Union (3-1-1): Oops. The
Dutchmen tied Connecticut (0-2-1) Saturday night in front of 946
fans at Freitas Ice Forum. It's a long way from the Frozen
Four.

3. Harvard (1-0-0): Junior
goaltender Raphael Girard recorded his first collegiate shutout in
a 5-0 victory over Bentley Saturday.

4. St. Lawrence (3-1-0): St.
Lawrence forward Kyle Flanagan was named ECAC Hockey Player of the
Month for October.